


Dangerous Liaisons

by Traw



Category: Hawaii Five-O (1968)
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2018-11-19 04:31:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 17,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11305728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Traw/pseuds/Traw
Summary: A late night liaison with a missing snitch that no one else knew about, an assassination plot against the President and a wounded detective who is believed to be involved. McGarrett must race against time to stop the assassination of the President and to clear his Second-In-Command's name.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story was first posted to the net in 2005 and was accidentally deleted a few years ago. I thought it was lost forever until I found a hard copy, today, that I had saved, so I decided to repost it. Hope you enjoy the ride. :)

Taking a sip of his drink, Danny Williams casually glanced around the bar. The man he was looking for had not yet arrived and Danny felt a little uneasy. The weight of the small .22 he had tucked under his shirt gave him a small sense of security. He had also driven his LTD to the meet, giving himself access to back-up if things went sour. He knew Steve was not going to be happy about not being informed of what was going down but there just hadn’t been enough time.

Sammy had insisted that Danny met him here, alone, and insisted that time was of the essence. Sammy had sounded frightened and had hinted that he was in some sort of trouble, but had refused to say any more over the phone. Whatever information Sammy had for him, Danny knew it had to be important, Sammy was his most reliable snitch and had never let him down yet.

Finally, the door opened and a small, thin, shabbily dressed man entered the bar. He stood near the door for a moment, his eyes darted around, searching for someone in the dim, smoked filled room. Locating the person, he was searching for, the man quickly scurried across the room and slid onto the seat beside the young, sandy haired detective.

Danny ordered another drink for himself and one for Sammy from the bartender who had immediately approached at Sammy’s arrival. When the man moved away to fill the order, Danny turned and asked, “Okay, what have you got for me?

Sammy eyed the bartender as he placed drinks down in front of them and waited until the man moved away to serve another customer before taking a large swig of the drink that had just been placed in front of him. Glancing around nervously, Sammy whispered, “It’s big, Mr Williams, real big pilikia!”

“How big?” Danny asked, casually taking a sip of his drink, masking the signs of adrenaline that was beginning to surge through his body.

“I overheard them talking, they didn’t know I was there until it was too late,” Sammy whispered before taking another large sip of his drink, before he lowered the glass back down onto the bar and looked at Danny, his voice trembling with fear as he swallowed hard and tried to force a weak brave smile, “but I managed to get away.”

“Who did you over hear? What were they talking about?” Dan asked, becoming a little impatient, and fearing that Sammy was going to get drunk before giving him the information.

“The President!” Sammy whispered timorously, “They’re planning to assassinate the President when he comes to Oahu!”

Danny stared at the man in disbelief, uncertain if he had heard the little man’s words correctly. “Did you say the President? President Nixon?”

Sammy nodded slowly, his hand shaking as he lifted the glass up to his lips and swallowed the rest of his drink.

“When? How? Who?” the words tumbled out so fast as Danny tried to process all he was told/ Police training kicked in and he drew a deep breath to settle himself. Lowering his voice and quickly glancing around to see if anyone was watching them, but finding nothing was amiss, Danny turned back to Sammy as he softly demanded, “Who is planning to assassinate the President?”

“Wong, Charlie Wong.” Sammy whispered, staring down at his empty glass.

“Do you know when or how?”

“Hey, I’m not saying any more, Mr Williams, not until I get a guarantee of protection from Five-O. that’s the deal!” Sammy said defiantly, “Without it I’m a walking dead man. You guarantee my protection or else you get nothing!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll talk to McGarrett about giving you Five-O protection, Sammy, but he’s going to want to know everything you know, so you better be playing it straight with me.”

“I am, Mr Williams, I am.” Sammy’s head bobbed up and down.

“I hope so, Sammy.” Danny murmured softly as he glanced around again gently before he touched Sammy’s arm, “Okay, let’s get out of here, my car’s in the parking lot. I’ll contact McGarrett and have him meet us at the Palace.”

Sammy nodded silently as he watched Danny throw some notes onto the bar to pay for their drinks before he rose from his seat and nervously scurried behind Danny out of the bar.

H5O H5O H5O

Guiding Sammy towards the LTD, Danny was acutely aware of the three men who were quickly approaching them from the shadows. Urging Sammy to hurry to the safety of the car, Danny positioned him between Sammy and the men as he reached for his gun and spun to face the men as they suddenly rushed him. As Danny brought his gun around, his arm was struck by a blackjack, the gun dropping from his grip as the bones in his arm snapped under the impact. Crying out in pain, he instinctively grabbed his injured arm as he stumbled, shouting at Sammy to run. A heavy blow to the back of his head sent an excruciating explosion of agony through his head before he tumbled to the ground, unconscious. He did not feel the vicious kicks or punches that rained down upon his body as he lay on the ground.

Terrified by the horrific attack being inflicted on the man he had believed could protect him, Sammy froze, uncertain of what to do. He stood for a moment, watching in shock, before he turned and ran towards the safety of the shadows. His escape was blocked abruptly as he was grabbed roughly from behind and with his arms painfully twisted behind his back, he was forced to turn to face the largest of the attackers. He whimpered quietly as he stared into the man’s insane face, cringing as the man smiled, revealing rotten teeth. “So, Sammy, you thought the great Five-O could protect you, hey?” Sammy attempted to pull back as the man leaned in menacingly closer, his fetid breath caused the smaller man to gag as he continued, “I’m sure Mr. Wong would like to know what you told Five-O.”

“I didn’t tell him anything, Mr Owens, I swear I didn’t.”

“Well, we will let you tell that to Mr Wong, won’t we? I am sure he will believe everything that you say!” the man sneered before he looked at his companion who was holding the snitch and ordered, “Get him in the car!”

Sammy was dragged back to the car parked in the shadows as he heard a third man ask, “What about the cop?”

“I’ll take care of him.” Owens grinned evilly as he turned and walked back over to the prone man and kicked him over onto his back. Reaching down, he began to search through Danny’s pockets, removing his wallet and police ID folder. Opening the wallet, he removed the cash and credit cards before dropping the wallet back down onto his victim and counting the cash.  “Eighty bucks!’’ he hissed angrily, kicking the unconscious man hard in the ribs. “A lousy eighty bucks! Hardly worth my time robbing you, Pig!” he muttered as he slipped the I.D., credit cards and the money into his pocket. Leaning down, he picked up the small gun that had fallen from Danny’s hand. “Aloha, Williams, enjoy piggy heaven.” He laughed as he aimed the gun at the downed man’s chest and pulled the trigger.

Danny’s body jerked with the impact of the bullet and then was still.

A woman’s terrified scream from somewhere near the bar startled Owens. He turned and fired the gun towards the ear-splitting scream before turning and fleeing towards the safety of the waiting car. Jumping into the front seat, he yelled, “Let’s get out of here!”

The car’s tires squealed on the slick, wet pavement before they gained traction and the car sped out onto the quiet streets of Honolulu.


	2. Chapter 2

Hearing the sound of squealing tires on the wet, slick pavement, Paul Wilmott rose from the ground where he had thrown himself and his screaming wife. He watched as the small dark colored car swerved out of the parking lot and disappeared into the darkness of the narrow street. The smell of gunpowder hung heavily in the air and he cautioned his wife to stay down as he carefully looked around.

“Be careful, Paul,” implored the frightened woman.

He nodded silently to her before he slowly crept out of the shadows. On the ground near a dark sedan, he saw the crumbled figure of the man he had seen attacked. Looking around to assure himself that the area was safe, he approached the downed man. Kneeling beside the injured man, he tentatively he felt for a pulse.

“Honey, call for an ambulance and the police,” he called confident that she would do so. He removed his coat and carefully lifted the man’s head, sliding the coat underneath in an attempt to make him more comfortable. Then taking out a handkerchief, Paul pressed it firmly against the ragged hole in the man’s chest in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.

Danny moaned softly, weakly attempting to move away as pain tore through his body as something pressed down on his chest. Struggling to open his eyes, he tried to focus on the figure leaning over him. “Ste…eve, …Ste…eve.”

“It’s okay,” a strange voice answered him gently, “You’re going to be fine. An ambulance is on its way. You’re going to be okay!”

H5O H5O H5O

Charlie Wong sat behind a large oak desk as he studied the trembling man who had been dragged in front of him. “You know I’m very disappointed in you, Sammy, I thought you had been raised with manners than you displayed tonight. Did your parents not teach you that eavesdropping was impolite? Or that gossiping is even ruder?”

“I didn’t tell Williams anything, Mr Wong, I swear I didn’t!”

Wong smiled grimly at Sammy as he rose from his seat and sauntered around to where Sammy was standing, surrounded by the three thugs who had escorted him here. “Well Sammy. I’m afraid that you have placed me in a most difficult dilemma. You see, I would like to believe you when you say that you didn’t tell Williams what you so unfortunately overheard but in the light of your recent rude behaviour, I find that I am no longer able to trust you.”

“I swear, Mr Wong, I am telling you the truth!” Sammy whimpered in fear.

“I’m sorry, Sammy, but I just don’t believe you are.” Turning his back on his captive, Wong instructed his thugs, “You know what to do, get rid of him.”

Ignoring the sounds of Sammy pleading and struggling as he was dragged away, Wong added, “Owens, I would like you to remain please.”

Owens stood quietly as Wong walked back around the desk and eased himself back down onto the chair, studying the nervous thug closely. “This cop, Williams, I hope you have taken care of him.”

“Yes Sir, I made it look like a mugging. He was dead when we left.”

“And you’re certain that he contacted no one after he spoke to Sammy?’

“I’m positive, Sir, he spoke to Sammy at the bar and then they left.”

“Good, good, you can leave now. That will be all.” Wong dismissed Owens before the thug nodded and hurried out of the room. Rising from his chair, he approached the man waiting in the other room.

“Are you positive he can be trusted?” the other man asked quietly.

“Positive.” Wong answered confidently.

“I hope for your sake that you are correct, Comrade. We have our orders from Peking and I do not intend to fail!” the fat Chinese spy murmured as he gently stroked his mustache.

H5O H5O H5O

Steve groaned as he rolled over and picked up the phone before the third ring. “McGarrett,” he answered, running a hand over his face in an attempt to wipe the last remnants of remaining sleep from his mind.

“Steve, it’s Duke, I’m down in the parking lot of The Tropical Whispers Bar in Waikiki. There’s been a violent mugging here.”

“What does that have to do with Five-O, Duke?” Steve asked, a little annoyed that an experienced HPD officer had interrupted his sleep over a mugging. “HPD should be able to handle it.”

“Steve,” Duke’s voice dropped as he struggled to think of an easier way to break the news to the often-stern boss of Five-O, “Steve, the victim is Danny.”

“Danno? How bad?” asked Steve, his voice rising as the feeling of dread tightened his chest, making it hard to breathe.

“He’s been taken to Queens Hospital. It doesn’t look good, Steve. I think you should get over there.”

“I’m on my way, Duke. Contact Chin and Ben.”

“Already have, Steve. Chin’s on his way to the hospital in the ambulance with Danny and...” He was interrupted by a car rocking to a stop nearby before the tall Polynesian man jumped out and sprinted towards him, “Ben’s just arrived, Che and the lab boys are here to.”

“Good, good, Duke,” Steve Said as he attempted to dress while keeping a tight grip on the phone, “Keep me informed.” Not waiting for a reply, McGarrett dropped the phone back onto its cradle, grabbed his keys and ran out of his apartment.

H5O H5O H5O

Exploding through the doors of Queens Hospital’s Emergency Department doors with the speed and ferocity of a hurricane, Steve charged towards the admission desk, intent on finding his injured detective. “McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O,” he barked at the young nurse who sat behind the desk, “I understand one of my detectives, Danny Williams, has been admitted here just a short time ago. Which room is he in?”

The young nurse quickly scanned the clipboard on the desk in front of her before looking up into the piercing blue eyes of the tall, dark haired man who stood impatiently waiting for her reply. “Danny Williams, gunshot victim. He was admitted to ER 1 about ten minutes ago. The doctors are examining him now. If you…” McGarrett turned and ran towards the room, leaving the stunned woman to call out after him, “Hey you can’t go in there!”

Ignoring the nurse, Steve headed for the Emergency room, his pathway blocked temporarily by a technician who attempted to stop his charge but McGarrett merely shoved the man aside. He wouldn’t allow any interference as he sought his objective,

Hearing the commotion just outside the ER waiting room, Chin Ho jumped up from his seat and ran out in time to witness his boss’ near maniacal charge through the ER Department. “Steve!” Chin shouted, trying to divert Steve’s attention as the head detective reached the closed door of the ER room.

Steve hesitated a moment in response to his name being called before pushing open the door. The sight of the bloodied figure on the gurney stopped him cold. Even from the doorway, he could hear Danny’s gurgled respirations as he fought for each shallow breath. Blood trickled from beneath the oxygen mask before snaking its way down Danny’s cheek in a steady stream, bruises covered his swollen face. The young detective was surround by the hard-working medical staff and equipment.

Standing just inside the room, Steve watched in stunned shock as the side of Danny’s bloodied chest was wiped clean with solution before the doctor cut a small hole between Danny’s ribs and skilfully inserted a plastic tube into Danny’s chest. “Danno?” The quiet, anguished whisper escaped Steve’s lips as he unconsciously stepped towards the bed.

Doctor Bergman looked up from securing the chest tube into place, “Not now, Steve! Someone get him out of here, now!” The brusque tone of his shout left no doubt that his command was not to be argued with. His own heart mirrored the anguish so evident on McGarrett’s face but he was also acutely aware that any precious seconds lost could literally cost the life of the young man he was fighting to save.

Steve, let the doctor do their job.” Chin softly but firmly admonished the distraught man gently as he grabbed his boss by the shoulders in an attempt to lead him from the room.

Startled by Chin’s touch, Steve glared over his shoulder at the older, portly detective before angrily shrugging out of Chin’s firm grip. “Leave me alone!” he growled as he continued his forward momentum towards the bed.

The medical staffs’ attention was diverted briefly towards the commotion but quickly refocused back to their patient as a nurse hurried to help intervene.

“Steve! No!” the no-nonsense tone of Chin’s voice caused Steve to pause long enough for Chin to reach for him again. “Steve, you have to let the doctors do their work. Danny needs their full attention now and they aren’t able to give him that if you are in the way.”

All the fight dissipated within Steve as he stared disheartenedly at the prone body on the bed. He did not notice the nurse approach until she lightly touched his arm.

“Please Mr McGarrett, Detective Williams is in the best hands. We will take good care of him but I really need you to wait outside.” She told him quietly as she helped Chin guide him to the door. “I promise, I will be out with his belongings soon and the doctors will give you an update of his condition as soon as they are able to.”

Steve nodded woodenly, allowing himself to be led out of the room. He heard the nurse again try to reassure him that the doctors would give him an update when they could before she turned and re-entered the room, closing the door behind her.

Leaning back against the wall, he closed his eyes, trying to control the uncontrollable trembling that now shook his body. He felt sick and dizzy as the adrenaline rush, that had fueled his behavior since Duke’s phone call, left him. He had hoped that this was just some sort of a bad dream or Duke had been mistaken about the seriousness of Danny’s injuries. The reality of the situation threatened to overwhelm him. He swallowed a sob that caught in his throat as a single thought continually replayed itself like a broken record in his mind. ‘Danno’s dying and there’s nothing I can do about it!”

Chin stood warily watching him, uncertain if the boss would attempt another dash into the ER or if Steve’s impulsive actions had passed, His chest tightened in empathy as Steve collapsed, almost as if he was defeated, against the wall. The normally strong stoic facade that the lead detective of five-o presented to the world was crumbling and Chin could easily read the strong emotions of fear and hopelessness in his friend’s face.

“It could be a while before the doctors can tell us anything, Steve,” he said quietly, “How about we grab a coffee in the waiting room.”

Nodding slowly in agreement, Steve pushed himself away from the wall and followed Chin across the corridor into the small waiting room.


	3. Chapter 3

Ben Kokua sighed deeply as he studied the lighting in the car park. From where he stood, he had an uninterrupted view of where the attack had taken place. The only witnesses to the assault, a married couple who had called HPD and given Danny first aid until help had arrived, insisted that it had been too dark to see the attacker well enough to give any sort of description. Ben sighed again. The lighting in the parking lot was dim but he was still able to identify Che and the HPD officers standing near Danny's LTD. He could understand the couple being frightened after the attacker had fired at them but didn't the realize the attacker knew he had left witnesses, their own safety was now in jeopardy.

Che glanced up at Duke after examining the area where Danny had fallen. "Danny's wallet is empty, no cash, no cards but I think we have a good chance of lifting the mugger's fingerprints from it if he wasn't wearing gloves."

"I hope so, Che. Whoever did this was vicious, we need to get them off the streets before he can do this again!" Duke stared down at the pool of blood at his feet. "The witnesses said Danny was shot as he lay on the ground. He didn't have a chance."

H5O H5O H5O

It had been over an hour since the nurse had ushered Steve from the examination room and Chin had managed to sequester him in the waiting room, Steve paced back and forth in the small room. A young man dressed in a dark, conservative suit who occupied one of the other chairs in the room, looked up from the newspaper he was reading and watched him pace for a minute before returning his attention back to the paper.

Casting his own quick glance at the young man as he paced by, he contemplated briefly if the young man was in the military or worked in some sort of government organization, his clean-cut features and closely cropped hair were indicative of both types of jobs. Their waiting room companion also appeared to be waiting for word about a patient being treated in the busy emergency rooms.

He spun around as the door to the waiting room opened and the nurse who had so successfully ejected him from the Emergency Room entered, carrying Danny's bloodied, folded clothes and his small .22 holster on top of the small pile that had been packed into a transparent plastic bag.

"Mr McGarrett, here's Detective Williams's belongings," she announced quietly as she crossed the room and handed the bag to Steve. "I'm afraid that his clothes are ruined. We had to cut them off him when he arrived at the ER."

Steve nodded silently, swallowing hard as he accepted the bag. Staring at the bloodied clothes and the empty holster, he had quickly snapped his attention back to the nurse, "Excuse me, Nurse…" He glanced down at her name tag before he looked back up at her and continued, "Nurse Peck, is this all of Detective Williams's belongings?"

The nurse nodded, "That's all his clothing and the belongings he was carrying. There was no wallet of ID found in his possession. Detective Williams has been taken into surgery. Doctor Bergman instructed me to tell you that both DR Killen and he will speak to you after the surgery."

"Dr Killen?" Steve frowned.

"Dr Killen is our hospital's finest Thoracic surgeon; Detective Williams could not be in any better hands." the nurse smiled reassuringly, "Now if you will excuse me…."

Reaching out and gently grabbing the nurse's arm as she turned to leave, Steve waited until she paused and turned back towards him before he asked, "Please can you tell me how Danny is doing? How seriously was he injured?"

She cast a side-wards glance towards Chin before returning her attention back to the man whom so obviously cared about the injured detective. "I'm sorry," she answered, "all I can tell you is Detective Williams's condition is presently listed as extremely critical. As for his injuries, I'm afraid you will need to discuss those with his doctors. Now please excuse me, but I really have to go."

"Thank you." Steve said softly as he turned and watched her leave the room, the door closing softly behind her.

Waiting until the nurse left the room, Steve turned and questioned Chin over the whereabouts of Danny's missing .22 weapon but the older detective was uncertain if the gun had been retained by HPD at the scene. For the first time since the initial phone call from Duke, Steve received his first report about the attack from Chin. The initial investigation indicated that Danny had tried to resist during a mugging and was shot by his assailant, who had then shot at the witnesses before fleeing in a car.

Handing Chin the bag containing Danny's belongings, he tersely ordered Chin to get Danny's clothes and holster over to the lab for Che to go over then and then to oversee the progress of the investigation. He nodded as Chin acknowledged his order and hurried out of the room before he began to pace again.

His gut instincts screamed at him that this was far more than a mugging turned sour. He had to admit Danny's temper, when pushed into a corner, could be explosive. Danno's temper and his resistance could have possibly been the catalyst that turned a violent mugging into a shooting. But it was a theory that he rejected. Danny was too good a cop not to know the risks of resisting a mugging. If his theory was right and this was indeed more than a mugging gone wrong, Danno could still be in danger from and unknown assailant.

Turning, he hurried out of the waiting room and hurried across to the nurse's desk. Apologizing to the young nurse for his earlier behavior, he requested to use the phone for official police business. Appeased by his apology, she handed him before rising from her chair and walking away for a moment to allow him to make the call.

Contacting the night desk sergeant at HPD, he ordered an officer to be sent to the hospital to guard Danny after he was transferred to a room after surgery.

H5O H5O H5O

Ben spoke quietly to the bartender who remembered serving Danny in the bar. The barman told him that Danny appeared to be waiting for a man who arrived a few minutes after Danny's arrival and he thought the two of them had left the bar together a brief time later. The bartender proved to be more helpful than the two witnesses, giving Ben a detailed description of the scruffy, thin man Danny had met with. The barman reluctantly agreed to accompany a HPD officer back to HPD to look through mugshots.

Entering the bar, Duke slowly approached the tall Five-O detective, "We're getting the names, addresses and statements from everyone in the bar, Ben, but most of the customers are claiming they saw or noticed anything unusual but I am still hoping that someone might have seen something."

"Thanks Duke," Ben said quietly as the two men walked slowly out of the smoke-filled bar. Pausing at the door, Ben stared angrily out into the parking lot that now seemed crowded with police, lab techs and curious spectators, "I don't understand what Danny was doing here, Duke, He was exhausted when he left the Palace tonight. I suggested that we go for a couple of drinks to unwind but he decided he just wanted to go home to sleep. It just doesn't make any sense."

Duke lightly patted the younger man's back, "That's something only Danny can tell us, Bruddah, so until he is able to, how about we concentrate on finding who did this."

Ben nodded and walked with the Hawaiian HPD sergeant across to where Danny's car was parked.

Both men silently watched as Chin eased his LTD into the parking lot and stopped as close to Danny's car as he could without disturbing the crime scene before he opened the door and climbed out. He stood for a moment, observing the scene, before he slowly walked towards them.

"How's Danny?" Ben asked anxiously as Chin joined them

Chin shook his head sadly, "Not good. They had just taken him to the OR when I left. Steve's taking it hard."

Ben and Duke nodded in silent agreement. Although the normally aloof boss regarded his entire small group of detectives and their families as ohana, a deeper, brotherly relationship had developed between him and the youngest member of their team. It hurt Steve deeply to see any of his detectives injured but the three men knew that such a brutal and senseless attack on Danny would be tearing Steve apart.

Returning their attention back to the investigation, Chin asked if anyone had recovered Danny's gun. Receiving a negative response to his question, he ordered a grid search to be carried out for the missing weapon. After being brought up to date with the investigation, Chin placed the scene investigation and clean up into Duke's capable hands. He then accompanied Ben to meet with the witnesses before the two Five-O detectives escorted them back to the Palace to take their formal interviews and statements.


	4. Chapter 4

Time seemed to slow to crawl as Steve waited for word on his injured detective and closest friend. Phone calls and personal updates by his detectives to help keep him abreast of the investigation were grateful distractions from the agonizing monotony of waiting. His young waiting room companion occasionally glanced up from the newspaper he was reading and watched the anxious pacing of the lead detective before returning his attention back to hid newspaper. Neither man spoke a word as each anxiously waited for word for patients being treated in the Emergency unit or already taken into surgery.

After an agonizing wait of almost four hours, the waiting room door finally opened, admitting an exhausted Doctor Bergman, accompanied by a young but serious looking doctor whom Steve assumed was the thoracic surgeon the nurse had mentioned. Before Steve was able to ask the question he so desperately wanted an answer to, Doc made the brief introductions before suggesting moving to a more private room to talk.

The small doctor’s office they entered was located near the recovery room where Danny now rested. As the three men settled into chairs facing each other, Steve asked, “How’s Danno?”

“Steve, Danny’s condition is critical. The bullet tore through his left lung, causing it to collapse but we encountered serious complications during surgery.” Doc began to explain.

“Serious complications? What kind of serious complications?” Steve asked softly as his eyes flickered between the two doctors, his chest tightening in anticipating of what could only be bad news.

“Detective Williams was shot at extremely close range with what appears to be a .22 caliber bullet,” the surgeon continued with the explanation, “Although the bullet missed his heart it did brush across the pericardial sac, bruising his heart, causing Detective Williams to suffer a cardiac tamponade.”

“Cardiac tamponade?” Steve frowned in confusion before he demanded. “In English please, Doctor.”

"The heart is surrounded by a sac that holds a small amount of fluid to help lubricate the heart as it beats, Steve. This sac is called the pericardial sac.” Doc interrupted, “if the heart is damaged or bruised, it may begin to bleed into the sac. Unfortunately, as the blood builds up in the sac, it begins to squeeze the heart muscle causing the heart to lose the ability to pump efficiently. If too much pressure is built up, the heart is no longer able to beat. Although the bullet missed Danny’s heart it did pass close enough over the sac to severely bruise the heart muscle and caused his heart to bleed.” Seeing Steve pale as the seriousness of Danny’s injury began to sink in, Doc hurried to reassure him, “We were able to drain the blood from the pericardial sac but we have sedated Danny and placed him on a ventilator to allow his heart to rest and recover without any undue stress being placed on it.”

 Steve allowed himself a breath of relief as Doctor Bergman glanced quickly at the surgeon before returning his attention back to the lead detective and continuing, “There’s more Steve,” he added quietly, “Danny’s condition is compromised by the blood loss from the chest wound and the serious injuries from the extreme beating he endured.”

“How…how serious are his other injuries?” Steve asked softly, his heart sinking as he braced himself for more bad news.

“Extremely serious, I’m afraid. Danny is suffering from a concussion from a blow to the back his head, which required several stitches to close, he has several broken ribs which could make him more prone to pneumonia during his recovery, and he suffered severe internal bruising to several organs that we will need to monitor closely for any internal bleeding which may occur. Danny’s right arm was also broken in the attack, probably after being hit by the same blunt instrument that was used to hit him in the back of the head, we set his arm while he was in surgery.” Doc paused a minute to allow Steve to digest the information he had just been given about Danny’s condition and to ask any questions but Steve remained silent. Glancing worriedly at his colleague, Doc returned his attention back to the silent Five-O detective as he continued. “I sent the bullet we removed from Danny’s chest over to Che, Steve, but I think he will confirm it’s from a .22. By the angle of the bullet and the damaged it caused. We believe Danny was shot when he was on the ground, probably unconscious from the blow to the head.”

 Steve nodded slowly, Doc’s words helping to confirm his suspicions that what happen to Danno was more than just a mugging gone wrong.

“Danny’s being settled into the ICU, Steve. As I have told you, he will be sedated while he is on the ventilator but I will take you to his room.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Steve murmured, still shocked at the gravity of Danny’s injuries.

“Have you any questions, Mr McGarrett?” the surgeon asked. At Steve’s negative shake of his head, the surgeon turned to Doc, “I’ll be up in a little while to check on Detective Williams, Peter.” Turning back to Steve, he placed his hand lightly on the shocked man’s arm as he told him quietly, “Please feel free to voice any concerns or to ask me any questions about Detective Williams’s condition at any time, Mr McGarrett, now I understand that you are listed as his Next-of-Kin?”

“I am and thank you, Doctor, for all you have done for Danny.”

 The surgeon smiled and gave a nod of acknowledgement as the three men walked to the door before parting company as Doc and Steve headed to the ICU and the surgeon back to the ER.

H5O H5O H5O

As the surgeon passed the waiting room, the young man who had been waiting in the waiting room stopped him. The two spoke quietly for a minute before the surgeon continued on his way back to the ER and the young man walked across to the public pay phone located near the waiting room. Glancing around to check that nobody would overhear his conversation, he picked up the phone before dropping some coins into the slot and dialing the memorized number. He waited a moment before speaking softly to the person on the other end. “Williams has just been brought out of surgery. I’ve spoken to the surgeon who says he’s in critical condition… No, we can’t talk to him today, they plan to keep him sedated for at least twenty-four hours…The cops think it was a mugging gone wrong… Okay, I will be back soon.” Hanging up, he took a last glance around him before he turned and headed for the elevator.

H5O H5O H5O

Owens angrily screwed up the morning paper, cursing the headlines that blazed the news he had not expected to read.

FIVE-O DETECTIVE CRITICALLY INJURED IN VIOLENT MUGGING.

 He turned and savagely kicked the chair he had just vacated: causing it to shatter as it smashed against the wall.

“What’s wrong?” asked his companion, terrified of the violence Owens displayed whenever something did not go his way.

“That Pig, Williams, is still alive! Those bloody do-gooders who tried to interfere last night apparently saved his life after we left!”

“So, what are you going to do about it? If Mr Wong finds out, he will have a fit.”

Owens swung around and grabbed the smaller man by the throat, lifting him off his feet, “What am I going to do?” Is that what you asked, you idiot? What am I going to do? He threw the man to the ground before leaning down and snarling his answer, “Fist I am going to make sure that that Pig will never talk to anyone and then I have some unfinished business with those do-gooders. That’s what I am going to do!” Giving the downed man a hard kick in the ribs, Owens turned and stormed out of the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Chin spoke quietly to the HPD officer guarding the door before entering the hospital room to check on Danny’s condition and to bring the boss up to date on the investigation. Walking over to where Steve was seated next to the bed, Chin looked down, worriedly, at the bruised and battered face of his young friend. “How is he?” he asked softly.

“Critical, the bullet bruised his heart, so the docs have decided to keep him sedated for a while to allow his heart to rest and begin healing.” Steve answered as he stared at the lax face of his Second-In-Command before he glanced up at Chin and demanded, “So what have we got?”

Chin pulled a small notebook out of his coat pocket and opened it to the page he wanted before he answered, “The bartender said the Danny came into the bar about 11pm, ordered a drink and sat down by himself. He was joined by another man about a quarter of an hour later.”

“Do we know who the other man was?”

“No, but the bartender was able to give us a description and possibly a first name. He thinks he heard Danny call the man Sammy. We have him down at HPD going over the mugbooks now but so far nothing.”

“Sammy?” Steve asked not recognizing the name.

Chin nodded silently.

“Maybe one of Danno’s snitches?” the dark-haired detective mused, looking back down at his injured friend in the bed.

 “Maybe, but I don’t recognize the name though,” Chin answered thoughtfully before he looked back down at his notes and continued, “The bartender said this guy, Sammy, was acting nervous, real nervous, kept looking around and downing his drink in large gulps. The bartender told Ben that Danny and the guy spoke for a few minutes and then they left.”

“Together?”

 “that’s what the bartender thought.”

“Did anyone else see them?”

“Ben’s still checking, I’ll let you know what we get. HPD are taking names, addresses and statements from everyone who was in the bar but there’s a lot of people to go through, it’s a popular place.”

“Get an APB out on this Sammy!” Steve ordered.

“Already done, Boss.”

Rising from his seat, Steve walked to the window and watched the sun’s rays bake the city’s streets. Turning back to face his detective, he asked, “So, what else do we have?”

“The couple who witnessed the shooting, Paul and Sarah Wilmott, are tourists from New York. The we’re leaving the bar when they saw someone being assaulted in the parking lot. They admitted they realized it was a mugging but were too scared to get involved. After they saw Danny fall to the ground after being assaulted, they saw the assailant pick something up off the ground before he shot and robbed Danny.  Mr Wilmott told us that the assailant turned and fired the gun towards them when Mrs Wilmott screamed.”

 Steve could only shake his head, amazed and angry that someone could stand back and watch an assault taking place but not do anything about it so they can avoid getting involved, “Could they give us a description?”

“Claims it was too dark to see the attacker clearly.” Chin continued in disgust at the witnesses’ reluctance to interrupt their holiday to become involved. “They both gave us the same vague description- tall, heavyset man dressed in dark clothing. The description doesn’t match with the description the bartender gave us of our mystery man, Sammy. Mr Wilmott thinks the car the attacker was driving was a small, dark colored sedan, possibly blue, but isn’t positive. Mrs Wilmott believes she heard a second car sped away just seconds after the shooting while they were on the ground, taking cover but she didn’t see it…”

“A second car, interesting, another witness maybe?”

“If there was, we have no way of finding them.” Chin sighed.

 “Any sign of Danno’s gun?"

“No, we think that whoever shot him probably took it with them.” Chin paused as he silently studied his boss for a moment before asking, “You don’t think this was a mugging gone bad, do you?”

Steve stared at him intently, “Do you?”

 Chin shrugged, “I’m not sure, Steve, it’s possible that Danny resisted when he was being robbed and it went sour.”

 Stepping back to the side of the bed, McGarrett silently studied the still form of his youngest detective. The bandaged head and chest, the heavy white cast that encased his arm and the dark swollen bruises that marred his face and body were a silent testimony to the brutality of the attack. Drawing his eyes away from his injured young friend, McGarrett returned his attention back to Chin’s question. “My gut tells me that Danny was set up, Chin, I think that he was lured to the bar by Sammy and then led into a trap.

I want you to find this Sammy and I want him found, yesterday! Check with your snitches, get Ben to do the same. Squeeze them and squeeze them hard! I want to know everything they know about this man. Tell them we will tear the island apart until we find this scumbag and anyone who is haboring him will have me to deal with!” Steve’s voice rose to nearly a shout as the anger within him threatened to boil over. Consciously forcing himself to calm down, Steve glanced down at Danny before he looked back up at Chin and promised. “We’re going to find him, Chin, I promise, and we are going to find anyone else involved in this. They are not going to get away with this!”

Chin nodded, understanding the scalding volcanic re-action from his boss was not aimed at him, he felt the same intense anger. “Ben and I are on it, Steve. We are also checking Danny’s cases, recent parolees, anyone who has threatened ever threatened him, but it’s going to take time.” Turning back towards the bed, Chin leaned over the unconscious man. He gave Danny’s arm a fatherly squeeze and murmured, “Rest easy, Bruddah,” before he straightened up and turned back to his boss. “I will check back as soon as we have anything.”

Steve nodded as he watched Chin leave the room before he returned his attention back to Danny, gripping the bedrail, “Who’s Sammy, Danno and why were you meeting with him? I don’t understand what you were doing in that bar last night. You took your .22 and the LTD, so you knew there could be trouble.” Steve’s hands tightened their grip on the bedrail as his anger and frustration boiled over. “Dammit Danno. Why didn’t you contact me and let me know what you were up to?” Taking a deep breath, Steve pushed his anger back down before he reached down and lightly placed his hand on Danny’s uninjured arm, “You know that I made sure you had back up, aikane, so why did you go alone?”

Only the soft hiss of the ventilator and the quiet rhythmic beeps of the heart monitor answered his questions.

Sighing deeply, Steve gently squeezed Danny’s shoulder as he murmured, “I’ll be back later, Danno.” Before he spun around and left the room, determined to find the answers.

H5O H5O H5O

Disturbed, Charlie Wong mulled over the night’s events as he sat down in the small dining room. Oblivious of the heady aroma of the nearby plumerias drifting into the sun warmed open aired breakfast nook the large print headlines across the morning edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, which was neatly folded near his coffee cup, caught his attention.

FIVE-O DETECTIVE CRITICALLY INJURED IN VIOLENT MUGGING

He stared in disbelief as he unfolded the paper. Damn! After tearing the cover sheet off, Wong tossed the rest of the newspaper back onto the breakfast bench as he read the article.

 Infuriated after he had finished reading the lead article, he wadded up the sheet into a tight ball and threw it across the room. Those fools! Enraged, his arm swept across the table, sending everything onto the floor with a crash.

 For several minutes, he mentally digested the headlines, which said that Williams had survived the attack and was now in a drug induced medical coma. The article indicated that police were theorizing the attack on Williams was a mugging turned sour and that Five-O were currently interviewing several witnesses to the attack. Wong’s eyes narrowed as he contemplated the implications brought on by Williams still being alive. “Where’s that bumbling idiot, Owens?” he snarled, his face twisted with rage as he turned towards his bodyguard who stood near the door impassively watching his boss.

‘He left earlier, said he had to take care of some unfinished business.”

“Unfinished business! I know what that unfinished business he has to deal with is! When he returns, tell him I wish to see him immediately.” Pushing abruptly away from the table, Wong ignored the chair as it cluttered to the floor. “Ensure that idiot understands that is not a request!”

The bodyguard nodded silently as Wong turned and stormed out of the room.


	6. Chapter 6

The crowd of reporters surged towards McGarrett’s car as he exited. His jaw flexed in annoyance as he shouldered through the crush of bodies, cameras and microphones, making his way towards the palace stairs. The last thing he wanted to deal with, after his fruitless inquiries with his own numerous snitches, were the shouted questions about the ongoing investigation of the violent assault on his Second-In- Command. He ignored the demands to answer their questions and update them on Danno’s condition and the investigation as he entered the Palace and trotted up the stairs.

Standing near Jenny’s desk, Chin and Ben were studying the photo of the man whom the barman claimed was the mysterious Sammy as their irate boss swept into the anteroom. Glancing apprehensively at each other at the unexpected arrival, the two men were aware of the small gaps of fear that escaped softly from jenny’s lips as they turned their attention back to their boss.

Steve halted his charge through the office as he noticed the distressed looks on the faces of his staff. Realizing the heart wrenching assumption, they had all jumped to at his arrival, he quickly tried to reassure them. “Danno’s still critical but he’s holding his own. The doctors have him heavily sedated, so I decided to talk to some of my own snitches who have heard nothing on the coconut wireless about Danno’s hit before coming back here to be brought up to speed on the case.” Seeing the relief on their faces, he continued, “Ben, Chin, I want you both to bring in everything you have. And Jenny, can you bring in some coffee, please?”

Jenny nodded as she rose from her desk and crossed to the table where the coffee pot sat as Chin and Ben turned and hurried into their cubicles to gather their notes and the evidence they had collected so far.

Entering his office, Steve crossed to the lanai doors, opening them to allow the warm, fragrant laden breeze to blow gently through the room. He leaned against the doorframe for a moment, his thoughts wandering back to the young man who was fighting for his life in the hospital room. Conflicting emotions of anger and fear surged through his soul as he found himself wondering why Danno had not told him about the meeting with the mystery man, Sammy.

The entrance of Chin and Ben, both carrying their notebooks and folders, followed closely by Jenny who balanced mugs of coffees and a plate of macadamia nut cookies in her hands, interrupted his thoughts. He waited until his two detectives were settled on the two high back white chairs that faced his desk and Jenny to place the mugs and plate of cookies down onto his desk and leave the room before he crossed to his chair and sat down. “Well, gentlemen, what have we got?” he asked, getting straight down to business.

“We got lucky, Steve, the bartender was able to pick Sammy out of the mug books.” Passing across to his boss a slim folder to peruse, Ben continued, “Sammy Opella, strictly small time, mainly convictions for break and enter, hustling etc. Danny was the arresting HPD officer on some of his busts.”

“So, he might be one of Danno’s snitches,” Steve speculated, lightly tapping the table with a pencil, as he studied the contents of the folder. “That could explain why Danno was meeting with him. Have we got an address on him?”

“No current address, he drifts around staying at various friends’ places for a couple of days before moving on to the next. HPD are checking out his most recent haunts, but so far nothing.”

“Did Danno mention anything about meeting with Opella last night?”

Both men shook their heads in reply.

“Danny was headed home when he left last night. He was planning to crash for the night,” Ben informed his boss, “He didn’t mention Opella at all.”

Steve nodded, “So, we can assume that Opella contacted Danny at home and lured him to that bar.”

 Both detectives nodded their agreement.

Rising from his chair, McGarrett walked to the open door overlooking the city beyond the palace grounds. Leaning on the doorframe, he stared, unseeing, at the view beyond. _Why did you meet with Opella, Danno? What did he say to make you agree to meet him alone, even though you thought it could be dangerous? You took the LTD and your off-duty piece with you, so you thought there could have been trouble_. Steve’s hands tightened into fists with his frustration and anger at Danny’s lack of trust and secrecy. _Dammit, Danno, why didn’t you trust me enough to call me? Why?_

Ben and Chin sat silently, watching as frustration and anger flittered across the face of their boss, before the inscrutable mask he normally wore reappeared.

Drawing a deep breath to calm himself as he turned back towards his two waiting detectives, Steve ordered, “Okay, let’s get Opella’s description into the media and an APB issued. Ben. I want you to stay on top of it. Get together with HPD. Keep checking Opella’s usual haunts, question all his acquaintances. Someone must know where he is! I want Opella brought in as soon as he is found.”

“On it, Steve.” Ben nodded as he rose out of the chair and hurried out of the office.

After watching Ben leave, Chin turned back to Steve as he began his own report. “Danny’s gun is still missing. We carried out a full search, but no luck. We’re still running on the assumption that his attacker took it. We were able to find the bullets that were fired at the witnesses. Che’s examining them now: they appear to be .22 caliber, probably fired from Danny’s gun. He’s also comparing them with the bullet removed form Danny in surgery. He should have something for us soon. Che also managed to lift some prints from Danny’s wallet. We’re running them through CNC now.”

“Good work.” Steve nodded, “I want to know as soon as anything comes in.”

 Closing his notebook, Chin looked at his tense friend, “Steve if you want to go back to the hospital to be with Danny, we can handle things here. We’ll keep you abreast of the investigation. Danny needs you!”

“Mahalo Chin,” Steve said quietly as he watched Chin stand up and head back to his cubicle.

 Re-opening the slim file that Ben had gathered on Opella, Steve stared at the man’s photo for several minutes before he closed it again and stood up. Grabbing both the file and his coat, he headed out of his office, pausing for a moment as he passed Jenny’s desk as he told his petite secretary, “If anyone needs me, Love, they can reach me at the hospital.”

Jenny nodded, unsurprised, as Steve hurried towards the door.

H5O H5O H5O

Slouched down in his chair, Owens sipped his coffee as he eavesdropped on the conversation of the two nurses sitting at the table beside him. He smiled to himself as the conversation turned to the assault on Williams and the police guards who now protected the young Five-O detective in the ICU. He discovered by the overheard conversation that McGarrett had ordered that only medical staff and police were being given access to Williams’s room.

His smile grew larger as he took another sip of coffee as the younger nurse of the two had commented that although McGarrett had spent the morning beside his critically ill Second-In-Command’s bedside, he had finally left the hospital to return to the Palace after requesting to be kept updated on his detective’s tenuous condition.

Placing the now empty cup back down on the table, Owens grinned as he quickly formulated a plan in his mind.  This was just going to be too easy, especially with McGarrett out of the way! Stifling a laugh, Owens rose from his chair and went in search of the articles he needed.

H5O H5O H5O

 Dropping the sheet back over the body, Chin straightened up and nodded at the two coroner’s attendants to remove the body.

 “Sammy Opella,” Ben sighed softly, stepping over the raised edge of the field as he joined his colleague. “Looks like a professional hit. Probably killed somewhere else before his body was dumped here. Che’s taking some casts of fresh tire tracks, could belong to our hitman.” He glanced towards the small, oriental forensic scientist who was carefully pouring plaster over a section of tire tracks in the fine red soil near the ditch surrounding the cane field, “I guess whoever dumped the body didn’t count on the field being burned tonight in preparation for harvesting tomorrow.”

 Chin nodded distractedly, watching the sheet covered body as it was loaded into the back of the coroner’s van before he returned his attention back to his younger colleague before he looked down at the two evidence bags, one containing an old, well-worn wallet and the other a sheet of paper, that he held in his hand. “I think this was more than just a hit to make sure he didn’t talk about the hit on Danny, Bruddah, I think this is much bigger than that. I think we have big pilikia.” he warned Ben as he looked down and examined the bag containing the sheet of paper before handing it across to Ben, “Kimo found this in Opella’s pocket when he was looking for Opella’s ID.”

Accepting the bag, Ben scanned the page that contained listed dates, times and places. Frowning as he looked back up at Chin, he asked, “What do you think it means?”

 “It’s a copy of the President’s itinerary for his visit to Oahu.” Chin explained quietly, “I saw a copy of it in Steve’s office the other day as Steve and Danny were discussing the potential security problems associated with it.”

Slowly looking back down at the evidence bag he was now holding in his hand, Ben murmured in confusion, “Then how did Opella manage to get a copy of it?”

“That’s something we need to find out, Bruddah, and fast!” Chin told him as he handed the second evidence back to Ben. “Get these to Che, tell him that Steve will want them to have the whole treatment and we need the results yesterday or faster. Also make sure he knows that this evidence is top security, no one else but he is to see it.” Stepping across the field’s raised edge and into the ditch as he headed towards his car, Chin added over his shoulder, “Steve’s gone back to the hospital, I’ll bring him up to speed on the case.”


	7. Chapter 7

Making last minute adjustments to the uniform he had just stolen, Owens could hear the muted sounds of a radio in an adjoining office. Satisfied with his disguise, he picked up the medical tray and slipped, unnoticed, from the utility room. He paused a moment, near the open door of the office, listening to a news report update of his victim's condition.

"Detective Danny Williams, Second-In-Command of our state police unit, Hawaii Five-O, remains critically ill in a medical induced coma as doctors fight to save his life after becoming a victim of a mugging turned violent in the parking lot of the Tropical Whispers Bar in Waikiki late last night. Although HPD and Hawaii Five-O are refusing to comment on the investigation, sources close to HPD have stated Williams was beaten and then shot after he resisted while …"

Lifting the tray's cover and quickly glancing at its contents, Owens chuckled silently to himself as he continued his way, unhurriedly towards the elevator at the end of the corridor. The doctors were fighting an already lost battle, Williams was already dead man, they just had not realized it yet.

Entering the elevator, he smiled innocently at the robust nurse standing in front of the elevator door. "ICU please," he said, watching as she pressed the button corresponding with the floor where the ICU was located. He began to hum quietly as the elevator gave a small jerk and began to rise.

Running a hand over his hair as the elevator slowed and came to a stop before the doors slowly opened, Owens nodded warmly as he stepped past the nurse and exited, "You have a wonderful day now, won't you?" he turned and smiled at her as the doors slid closed. Turning back towards the ICU doors, he began to whistle a tuneless tune as he confidently walked towards them and pushed open the doors, his smile growing as he entered the unit. This is going to be too easy, he thought as he walked towards the officer guarding the door to the cop's room.

"The doctor wants me to draw some blood," Owens told the officer, allowing the officer to examine his tray.

"Looks okay," the young officer nodded as he dropped the cover back over the tray and eyed the blood lab tech's nametag before stepping aside and allowing him to enter Danny's room.

Stepping just inside, Owens closed the door before he turned and paused for a moment, relishing the power of life over death he held over the man lying in the bed. Crossing to the side of the bed. He set the tray he was carrying down onto narrow rolling bedside table. Removing the tray's cover, he picked up a 20 CC syringe and pulled back the plunger, filling it with air as he studied the medical equipment that was attached to Williams.

Stumped at which of the three IV lines that hung from drips above the bed and snaked down towards the bed that he needed, Owens slowly fingered them as he chewed his bottom lip in indecision. Suddenly he smiled as he realized that two of the lines were connected into a much bigger tube that had been inserted just below the junction between Williams neck and chest. "Well Pig, I guess this is my lucky day!" he laughed as he carefully lifted the tubing and slid the needle into it, savoring the moment.

Startled by the door opening behind him, Owens quickly removed the needle and dropped it into the tray, not noticing as it bounced and fell onto the floor before rolling under the bed as he stole a quick glance over his shoulder of the tall dark man who entered. McGarrett! Swallowing hard to calm his nerves, Owens forced himself to remain calm as he fiddled with the tubing for a moment before releasing it and pretending to examine the other IV lines. Before he picked up the trays and turned towards the lead Five-O detective as McGarrett walked towards the bed. Nodding at McGarrett as he passed, he walked as casually as he could out of the room and out of the unit.

H5O H5O H5O

Sitting on the chair next to Danny's hospital bed, Steve opened up the forensic report that he had sent across from the forensic lap and opened it, perusing its contents. He sighed as he read the report. Che confirmed that the bullets fired at the witnesses and the bullet doc had removed from Danny's chest all came from Danny's own gun after comparing the bullets with the police forensic records kept of Danny's .22 caliber gun.

A blackjack found at the scene that had traces of blood and hair sticking to it, confirmed what Chin and ben suspected at the scene, it was the weapon used to bludgeon Danny. Smudged prints on the blackjack indicted that the attacker had been wearing gloves at the time of the attack.

Sighing, Steve placed the report on the small bedside table before he rested his head against the back of the chair and allowed his eyes to drift closed as he tiredly listened to the soft swoosh of the ventilator and the slow hypnotic beeps of the hearts monitor. The sound of the door opening behind him, startled him. Opening his eyes, he quickly looked around as Chin hurried into the room.

"We have big pilikia, Boss," Chin announced softly as he crossed the room to where his boss was sitting next to the bed, rushing on as McGarrett turned and stared at him, "We found Opella murdered in a cane field near Waialua a couple of hours ago."

"Damn!" McGarrett muttered.

"He was killed by a bullet to the back of the head, looks like a professional hit. Doc has given us a preliminary time of death of about eighteen hours ago."

"That means he was killed shortly after Danno was hit." Steve said, glancing towards the young man in the bed before he looked back at his oldest and most experienced detective, "Maybe Opella was used to lure Danno out and killed afterwards to keep him quiet."

"Steve…" Chin softly interrupted his boss's theorizing, "When I searched Opella's pockets I found a copy of the President's itinerary for his Oahu visit."

Steve froze and stared at Chin for a moment. Swallowing hard as he cast a quick, shocked glance towards at Danny, Steve returned his attention back to Chin as he asked softly, "Are you certain?"

Chin nodded, as he also glanced towards Danny before returning his attention back to his boss and admitting. "It was a complete duplicate of the one I saw you and Danny working on the other day. I gave it to Che for examination, he's aware of the security level it holds."

Rising out of his chair, Steve began to pace, clicking his fingers in time with his steps as he frowned, "What was Opella doing with a copy of the President's itinerary and more importantly, how did he get a copy of it? And why was he meeting with Danno?"

Chin shrugged silently as he watched Steve pace the small room.

McGarrett suddenly stopped pacing and swung around to face Chin as he demanded. "Any word on who Opella might have been in contact with before his death?"

"Word on the coconut wireless is that Opella was running with the big league - Charlie Wong. In way over his head and frightened of Wong's newest enforcer, a guy by the name of Owens."

"What do we know about him?"

"Not much yet Steve, just that he arrived about six months ago from the mainland, where he has a string of arrests for assault, assault with a deadly weapon and extortion in California. I have LAPD collecting everything they have on him and sending us his photo and records across. We're still waiting for the teletext to come through. But LAPD also told me that he was also indicted on several murders but the charges were dropped shortly before he came to Hawaii."

"Dropped, why?" Steve asked.

"Missing witnesses, evidence being misplaced. "Chin explained before he continued, "But the word on the coconut wireless was Opella was scared about what he had got himself into and wanted out."

"Maybe he got involved with a plot involving the President, maybe that's why he was meeting with Danny," Steve breathed as he turned and resumed his pacing. "And maybe that's the reason why he and Danno got hit." Chin nodded his agreement as his boss continued, "But I can't understand, Chin, why Wong would have any interest in a political hit, if that's what he has gotten himself involved in. Wong is more involved in the drug trade and extortion., this is definitely out of his league! There have to be bigger brains behind this, but who?"

Walking across to the window, Steve stared out at the scenery as he thought about who might have the desire, the motive for wanting the President's itinerary. "I wonder where our friend Wo fat is?" he mused softly before he turned back to Chin and announced, "Maybe I should give Jonathon Kaye a call."

"What about the Secret Service, Steve, do you want me to contact them about what's happened?"

Steve shook his head, knowing that he could be risking everything as he answered softly," No, not yet, Chin, let's wait until the docs allow Danny to wake up. I want to have a talk to him first, see if he can fill in some blanks."

Chin nodded, aware that once the Secret Service became involved in the case, that they would assume complete control and that could extend over interviews that Steve could have with Danny.

Walking back to the side of the bed, Steve ordered, "I want twenty-four hour surveillance placed on Charlie Wong. I want to know about everywhere he goes, who he talks to and everyone he sees. I will arrange the extra HPD manpower with Chief Dann. Let's see if we can find out who is whispering ideas into Charlie Wong's head."

"On it, Boss." Chin nodded as he turned and hurried out of the room as Steve picked up the phone and began to dial a familiar number.

Perusing the slim file of information that Chin had gathered on Owens, McGarrett listened distractedly to the tinny sound of the phone ringing on the other end of the line. His attention was immediately snapped back to the instrument he held next to his ear as he heard the deep, authorative voice of the C.I.A chief snap. "Kaye."

"Jonathon, it's Steve. I have a serious situation brewing here which I am going to need your assistance with. I can't give you any details over the phone but I would like to meet with you as soon as possible." Capping a hand over his other ear in an effort to hear Kaye's reply a little better through the static of the long-distance call, Steve nodded grimly, "I'll explain everything when you arrive, Jonathon. Mahalo and aloha."

Sighing as he hung up the phone, Steve stood studying the immobile face of the young man he considered his kaikainia, Steve gently reached down and squeezed Danny's arm, "I really need your help on this, Aikane, I really need to find out how Opella got that itinerary and how much you know about what is going on."


	8. Chapter 8

Settling back onto the chair beside Danny’s bed, Steve picked up the thin file of hand written notes that Chin had gathered on Owens and began to study it closely. Owens had been born on August 1st, 1946 in San Francisco, the second eldest of three children, he had arrived in Hawaii six months ago after assault with a deadly weapon and extortion charges against him had been dropped because of the disappearance of several witnesses meant that there was not enough evidence to proceed with the case. 

Chin had jotted down several previous arrests, all for assault, extortion and intimidation charges that had never made it to court or had been dismissed because of a lack of evidence by the courts. Chin had added a note that Owens was also suspected in the mainland hits but the guy was like Teflon, nothing ever seemed to stick. A soft growl escaped from Steve’s lips as he tossed the file back down on the table, his anger growing. If Owens had anything to do with Danno’s attack, this time the charges would stick, he would not slip through their fingers.

McGarrett frowned as his thoughts drifted back to the itinerary found in Opella’s pocket. There were only two copies of the itinerary in existence, the one he and Danno had been working on, that was safely locked away in the bottom drawer of his office desk and the copy the Secret Service held, so just how the hell _did_ Opella manage to get a copy of it? His eyes drifted back to the unconscious man in the bed as he found himself again asking himself the questions he both desperately needed the answers to. Why was Opella meeting with Danno in the Tropical Whispers Bar last night? And why didn’t Danno contact him about the meeting?

Looking around behind him as he heard the door open, he watched Dr Killen enter the room. Rising to his feet and stepping closer to the bed as the doctor crossed the room, he kicked something on the floor. Looking down, he noticed a syringe with the needle still attached laying at his feet. Kneeling to pick it up, he glanced up at the surgeon who had paused beside him and was watching him with interest to see what he was doing. “I guess the lab guy must have dropped one of his syringes when he was taking blood.” Steve shook his head as he reached down to pick up the syringe from the ground.

Killen frowned in confusion as he asked, “What lab guy? There was no blood work ordered for Detective Williams.”

Steve hand froze as he quickly looked up at the doctor, “Are you sure?”

“Positive, we did all the lab work that we needed immediately after we settled Detective Williams in the room,” the surgeon answered. Quickly opening and scanning the chart he held in his hand, double checking that Doctor Bergman had not ordered some extra bloodwork that he did not know about, Killen looked back at McGarrett. “And there’s been no extra bloodwork ordered.”

Reaching into his pocket, McGarrett pulled out his handkerchief and carefully picked up the syringe, holding it up and showing the surgeon as he rose back up onto his feet. Although the syringe held no drugs, it was fully primed with air. “There was a lab guy in here when I entered the room, I thought he was taking blood…” McGarrett swallowed hard, his face growing pale as he stared at the drip before he looked down at the syringe he was holding in his hand.

Bumping McGarrett out of the way, the surgeon quickly reached for a clamp from the nearby treatment tray and closed it tightly on the central line that ran the three lines of intravenous fluids into Danny’s neck. Hitting the nurse call button as he glanced up at the heart monitor, the doctor sighed a breath of relief as he grabbed the blood pressure cuff and wrapped it around Danny’s bicep and took his blood pressure. Looking up and turning towards the door as it opened and the nurse stepped inside, he ordered, “Let’s replace these three IV lines and get three new lines of IV’s started and I want a full drug tox screen done, Martins on duty in pathology, tell him I want him drawing the blood.” The nurse frowned in confusion and nodded, jotting down the orders as the doctor continued. “Also, I want Detective Williams placed back on ten minute obs, I want to be informed immediately if there are any cardiac changes.”

“Will do, Doctor,” the nurse acknowledged the rapidly fired orders as she turned to hurry out of the room to collect the equipment she needed and to contact pathology.

Returning his attention back to his patient, Killen continued his examination.

“Doc?” Steve asked tentatively.

“He’s stable,” Killen answered quietly as he finished his examination before glancing up again at the heart monitor and watching the small green dot as it danced across the screen for several seconds. Turning to look at McGarrett who was still holding the air primed syringe in his hand, he placed his hand on the lead detective’s shoulder as he nodded at the syringe and added, “I think that you probably interrupted whoever was here before they were able to inject anything into the IV lines.”

“Thank God.” Steve murmured, running his hand over his face and leaving it resting on his chin as he stared down at his young friend in the bed before he looked back up at the doctor and growled, his fear and anger boiling over at how close he had come to losing Danny again. “I want a list of all the medical staff who are treating Danny given to the officer guarding the door, I don’t want anyone not on that list getting into this room again. I will also be placing one of my own men in the room to guard detective Williams. There has already been one attempt on my detective’s life while he is a patient here, I don’t intend there to be a second!”

“I will get the list straight to you.” Killen agreed as Steve grabbed an empty kidney tray and dropped the air filled syringe into it before he turned and hurried out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Striding across to the nurse’s station, Steve grabbed the phone, ignoring the annoyed scowl on the face of the nurse sitting at the desk as he requested the operator to be connected to connected to Chief Dann of HPD. He only waited a moment before the other man answered before he quickly explained what had happened and requested that Duke Lukela be assigned to guard Danny in his hospital room in addition to the officer already guarding the door before issuing an APB out on the man dressed as a blood technician whom he had seen in Danny’s room. Hanging up, satisfied his orders would be carried out, he thanked the nurse for the use of the phone before he returned to Danny’s room.

Standing back against the wall, he silently watched as the medical staff worked on Danny, who was now lying on his left side, propped up into that position by strategically positioned pillows that had been placed both in front and behind him, preventing him from rolling back onto his back. The foot of Danny’s bed had been lifted up, leaving Danny lying with his head lower than his feet. Steve silently watched the nurses changing the IV bags and lines, drawing blood, taking his blood pressure, all while Danno remained oblivious to everything and everyone around him.

Looking up from the notes he was jotting down into his patient’s chart, Killen watched as the lead detective entered the room. Scribbling his signature at the bottom of his new medical orders, the surgeon placed the chart down onto the bedside table before he crossed to where McGarrett silently stood watching the medical staff, the expression on the lead detective’s face spoke volumes of the fear he felt for his detective. “He’s stable.” Killen tried to reassure the anxious detective as he continued, “The bed has been tilted and Detective Williams has been placed in the position he is in purely as a precautionary measure. If any air, and I have my doubts that any air was, has been injected into Detective Williams’s bloodstream, having his body positioned at the angle we have him positioned will help ensure that the air bubble will not enter the heart’s chambers and will be absorbed into the body naturally. If he continues to show no symptoms of an air embolism, we will adjust the bed back to its normal position in a few hours.”

 Steve nodded unconvinced as he continued to stare at the tubes and wires that connected to his young friend to the various medical equipment that surrounded the bed, just how safe was Danny? A second murder attempt had been made right under their noses, despite a police guard having been placed outside the room. if he hadn’t walked in when he did… A cold shiver ran through his soul as he pushed away the horrifying thought of what could have happened.

Placing his hand on Steve’s shoulder, the surgeon gave him a small encouraging smile, “As I said Detective Williams’s condition is stable, in fact, he has shown signs of improvement over the last couple of hours. If he shows no symptoms of an air embolism during the next three or four hours I will start to reduce the level of his sedation he is currently receiving and allow him to wake up. He should be conscious enough by midday tomorrow for us to remove him from the ventilator.” Seeing the relief on Steve’s face, the surgeon gently reminded him, “But that’s not to say that Detective Williams is going to be well enough for any type of questioning session for another two or three days. He is still going to need complete rest and definitely no stress.”

Steve smiled as he glanced towards the bed before he returned his attention back to the surgeon and nodded, “I understand, Doc, no heavy questioning sessions when he wakes up.”

The surgeon nodded and smiled as the door opened and Duke entered the room and joined them. “All part of the service, Mr McGarrett, now if you will excuse me, I must get back to the OR, I am on call tonight. I’ll be back to check on Detective Williams a little later.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” McGarrett smiled as the doctor nodded again and hurried from the room. Turning back to Duke, Steve quickly filled him in on Danny’s condition and the murder attempt that had taken place less than an hour before instructing him that the only people allowed in the room were visitors or medical staff pre-approved by either himself of the doctors. Satisfied that Duke would allow no unauthorized visitors or medical staff into the room who might manage to get past the police officer guarding the door, Steve walked across to the side of the bed. Placing his hand on top of Danny’s curly head, he whispered, “I’ll be back as soon as I can Danno, just rest, Aikane.”

“No one will get near him who isn’t approved, Steve,” Duke vowed quietly as Steve turned back towards him.

“Mahalo Duke,” Steve murmured as he glanced back at the injured man in the bed, “Let’s hope there isn’t a second attempt.” He said softly before he turned and headed out of the room.

H5O H5O H5O

Tearing free the photo of Owens that LAPD had just tele- texted through, Chin looked up as the anteroom door opened and McGarrett entered the office and headed directly towards his office. The look on his boss’s face instantly warned Chin something had happened. “Steve?”

“Someone tried to hit Danno in the hospital tonight,” Steve growled as he stopped next to the telex machine.

“Is he okay?” Chin asked, worriedly.

 Steve nodded, “I unknowingly interrupted the hit when I walked into the room and saw someone whom I thought was a lab tech fiddling with the IV that’s inserted into Danny’s neck before he was able to do anything. We found a syringe primed with air that he must have dropped in his haste to get away. I dropped the syringe off with Che …” Steve’s voice trailed off as he stared at the photo in Chin’s hand, instantly recognizing the tall solidly built blood lab tech with stringy black hair he had seen in Danny’s room.

Frowning as Steve’s attention was drawn to the mugshot of Owens that LAPD had just sent through, Chin looked back down at the mugshot he held in his hand before he gave it to Steve. “L.A.P.D just sent me everything they have on Owens. I was just about to sit down and go through the file.”

Handing the mugshot back to Chin, Steve ordered, “I placed an APB out on the man who tried to make the hit on Danno, update it with Owens details. I want him found, even if we have to tear this island apart to do it and when he is, I want him in my office.”

“Done, Boss,” Chin answered as he turned and headed into his cubicle, casting a quick glance towards the anteroom door as two men dressed in dark business suits entered the office and headed straight towards his boss.

Looking up from perusing the sheets of information that LAPD had telexed on the man who had attempted to kill Danno in the hospital just a few short hours, Steve sighed as he recognized one of the Secret Service agents who had entered the office and was now walking towards him. Agent Burton was the youngest of the two, middle-aged, with thinning gray hair, the man had not impressed McGarrett at all, each time he and Danno had met with the agent to work on the President’s itinerary. Burton was rude and arrogant who treated both Five-O officers as hick hillbilly cops who were more of a nuisance than colleagues who had been assigned to work with them.

The other agent glanced into Danny’s empty cubicle as he passed it before he brushed past Steve, heading towards Steve’s office with Burton following closely behind as he growled over his shoulder, “Your office, McGarrett. Now!”


	10. Chapter 10

Hanging up the phone, Jenny glanced up and watched the exchange between her boss and the two Secret Service agents that took place in front of her desk. She held her breath, waiting for the famous McGarrett volcanic explosion as Burton and his partner turned and entered his office, leaving the door open in an expectation that he would follow Burton’s order immediately.

Steve’s jaw clench in anger as he stared after the agents before he forced himself to take a deep breath, to cool his temper.

“Umm, Steve,” Jenny said softly, waiting until she had her boss’s attention, “the governor’s office just called, he wants an update on Danny’s condition and progress on the case, tonight.” McGarrett nodded, unsurprised about the call as Jenny continued, “Also several reporters have left messages, all wanting exclusive interviews with you on the case.”

“Damn vultures!” McGarrett muttered hotly, “Give them our standard answer.”

“Already have, Boss.” Jenny told him.

“Also contact HPD. I want those news crews moved away from the Palace stairs, they’re blocking the entrance.” Steve growled in annoyance as he glanced towards his office. “Also, I don’t want any interruptions, anything urgent, have Chin handle it.”

“Will do, Boss” Jenny nodded as she reached for the phone, before she looked back up at her boss, unshed tears glistening in her eyelashes as she asked apprehensively, “Boss, how’s Danny, I called the hospital but all they would tell me is he is critical.”

McGarrett paused and turned back to his secretary, “He’s starting to show signs of improvement, Love,” he smiled, deciding not to worry her with details about the attempted hit on the young detective in the hospital, “The doctors are confident that he is going to make it and are even talking about lowering his sedation and allowing him to wake up some time tomorrow and they will be able to take off the ventilator.”

Jenny smiled with relief as she watched her boss turn and strode into his office, slamming the door behind him. Turning back to make her calls, Jenny’s chest tightened, and she swallowed down a sob as she thought about just how close tragedy had come to her little ohana of detectives. Drawing a deep breath, she consciously pushed the horrifying thought away as she reached for the phone.

H5O H5O H5O

The two agents barely reacted as McGarrett entered his office and slammed the door. They waited silently, seated in the high back white chairs in front of Steve’s desk as the furious lead detective walked around his desk and stood behind his chair, glaring at them. “What the Hell is this about, Gentleman?”

“Your man, Williams, was attacked and shot outside a bar in Waikiki almost twenty -four hours ago and is currently in critical condition in Queens Hospital.” Burton began, ignoring the lead detective’s ire as he leaned towards the desk and growled, “And it seems that you forgot to tell us about it. Now, McGarrett, that leaves my partner and myself with the question of why?”

Eyeing the two men from across the desk, Steve sighed as his heart sunk, aware that he no longer had a choice but to share what little evidence that Five-O and HPD had so far uncovered about Danno’s shooting even if that evidence made Danno a suspect, with them. Sitting down, he reluctantly pushed the slim case folder across his desk as he began. “As you probably already know, Danny Williams was shot in the chest in the parking lot of The Tropical Whispers Bar in Waikiki about eleven o’clock last night. HPD’s initial investigations and witness statements indicated that it was a possible mugging and Danny was beaten and shot at close range in the chest after he tried to resist.” Steve paused as the memory of seeing Danny for the first time after the attack, in the ER slammed back into his mind.

“But you don’t believe it was a mugging, do you, McGarrett?” Burton pushed as he reached for the file and flicked it open, scanning the initial HPD report before he looked expectantly back up at the lead detective.

“No.” Steve answered honestly, as he rose from his chair and walked across to the open lanai doors, leaning against them as he stared out at the twinkling lights of the city beyond the Palace grounds as he continued, “Our investigations today have uncovered that Danny Williams was at the bar meeting with one of his informants, Sammy Opella, a small-time drug dealer, who Danny has arrested a few times.”

“And you didn’t know about this meeting?”

“No,” McGarrett answered, turning around to face the two agents who were watching him closely as he rushed on, “We believe that the meeting might have been a spur of the moment happening, probably initiated by Opella, himself. We do know that when Danny Williams left the palace last night, he was going home to sleep after working almost twenty-four hours straight. The bartender told us that Danny entered the bar about eleven and Opella turned up about fifteen minutes later. He said Opella was nervous, scared, kept looking around. They spoke for a few minutes before leaving.”

“Together?” Burton frowned.

McGarrett nodded, “We believe so.”

“So, he was with Williams when Williams was attacked?” Burton’s partner asked softly, glancing quickly at his partner before returning his attention back to McGarrett.

“We think so, although the witnesses to Danny’s shooting and the bar tender could confirm it. What we do know is Opella disappeared after Danny’s shooting, we don’t know if he was frightened and fled or if he was grabbed at the scene, but his body was discovered in a cane field this afternoon. It looks like a professional hit.” Steve told them quietly as he walked back to his desk and sat down. Leaning down, he unlocked and opened the bottom side drawer before he reached in and took out a sheet of paper, safely sealed in an evidence bag before he handed it across to the lead secret Service agent as he continued reluctantly, “This was found by one of my detectives in Opella’s pocket.”

Studying the sheet of paper, he now held in his hand, before he handed it to his younger partner, Burton looked across at McGarrett, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as he breathed softly, “So Opella managed to get a copy of the President’s itinerary after meeting with the only other man not in this room who has seen it. Just how much access did you allow your Second-in-Command to Williams have to the itinerary?”

“If you think that Danny Williams might have deliberately given a petty criminal a copy of the itinerary…” McGarrett began angrily, his eyes flashing with anger as he rose to his feet, his unshakeable belief that Danny would, no, …could ever be a traitor or endanger the President evident to the two agents watching him.

“Whoa, McGarrett, I know that you and Williams are close, Hell, he’s not only your partner, but you trusted him enough to make him your Second-in-Command. But we both know this is National Security, Hell, it’s the President’s life that we are talking about here, so I need you to put your emotions aside for a moment and tell me as a cop, and not as Williams’ partner and friend, is it possible that Williams may have, for whatever reason, passed on the information to Opella? Let’s face it McGarrett, Williams had the means of obtaining and copying the information. He also had the opportunity of passing the itinerary to Opella at a meeting that you yourself just told us that you were not aware of.” Sitting back in his chair as he studied the irate detective closely, Burton continued softly, “Look McGarrett, I know just how you must be feeling at the moment, especially when Williams is your Second-in-Command and the two of you are close but we both know that Williams is also now a suspect in this case until proven otherwise.”

Staring at the Secret Service agent, Steve as his anger abated a little. He sighed as he slowly sat down as he admitted reluctantly, “You’re right, I know Danny has to be considered as a suspect in this case but I want you to know, not for a _single_ second, do I believe that he gave Opella that itinerary.”

“Then, if you don’t believe Williams gave Opella the itinerary, then how do you explain Opella being in possession of it?” Burton demanded quietly.

“I don’t know yet but I do know that Che Fong, my forensic tech managed to pull two sets of prints from the itinerary. One set was Opella’s, the other set is yet to be identified, we are running them through the FBI now, hoping to get a match.   We were also able to identify one of Danny’s attackers as a possible hitman from the mainland, Leo Owens. Owens is also believed to be responsible for a second murder attempt on Danny Williams earlier tonight in the hospital.”

“A second attempt?” Burton frowned.

Steve nodded, “He managed to get past a guard, dressed as a lab guy, and into Danny’s room. I believe I may have inadvertently interrupted his second attempt on Danny’s life when I entered the room as he was about to inject air into Danny’s IV line. He left the room before anyone realized that there had been a second attempt on Danny’s life. There’s an APB out on him now but so far it looks like the rock has swallowed him up.”

“So, the attempt was unsuccessful?” Burton’s young partner frowned.

“Yes, thankfully,” Steve glanced at the oddly familiar looking young man and frowned, as he found himself wondering just where he had seen him before.

“So, what do we know about Owens?” Burton asked, recapturing McGarrett’s attention. Staring at Burtons partner for a few seconds longer before returning his attention back to Burton, Steve pushed the mugshot of Owen’s that Chin had received from LAPD over the tele-text as he glanced down at the slim file Chin had handed him after the two agents had entered the office. Opening it, he quickly perused it to gather the relevant information about the man as he read from the file, “Owen’s has been on the islands for about six months, and HPD suspect that he is working as an enforcer for one of our local hoods, Charlie Wong.” Looking up at Burton, McGarrett continued, “Wong is into the small stuff, a wanna-be mob boss who is into the small stuff, more an extortionist and drugs man than the godfather of a mob family.

Word on the coconut wireless connects Wong with Sammy Opella. Apparently Opella has been running errands for Wong but word is in the last few days Opella became increasingly scared. Hinted to several people that he thought he might become shark feed.”

Burton frowned, “Do you think he might have stumbled on some sort of plot involving the president?”

“Exactly!” McGarrett shouted, stabbing the air with his finger to empathize the point, “It could explain the meeting with Danno and why Opella had a copy of the itinerary in his pocket.”

 Burton nodded, “But if Opella was working for Wong when he discovered the plot and Wong is just a small-time extortion and drug man, why would Wong be involved?”

“And who is behind it?” his partner asked, looking between his partner and the lead Five-O detective.

“The Chinese perhaps.” Burton frowned, “We know they are not too happy about the talks between the President and the Japanese.” Looking across at McGarrett, he rose from his seat, his partner following his lead, as he added, “We’ll run some checks on Wong, see if he has any affiliations with the red Chinese.”

 McGarrett nodded, “I have asked Jonathon Kaye to come from the mainland to help. Hopefully he will know where Wo Fat is.”

“Wo Fat, the Chinese spy?” Burton asked. “Do you think he could be involved?”

Steve nodded as he answered honestly, “I would not be surprised.”

Running his hand over his thinning, gray hair, Burton sighed before he ordered, “Okay McGarrett, it’s getting late and you look like you haven’t slept in a couple of days.  I will check out the Chinese angle tonight and will meet with you again tomorrow so we can compare notes.” Turning, he walked towards the door, with his young partner close on his heels before he stopped and suddenly turned back towards Steve and demanded, “I want to conduct an interview with Williams as soon as I possibly can.”

Looking up from the file on Owen’s that he had just started reading, Steve shook his head, “I’m afraid that won’t be possible for a few days. Danny Williams is on ventilator at the moment and although the doctors are decreasing his sedation and are hoping to be able to remove him from the vent tomorrow, they have said he still won’t be strong enough to be interviewed for at least another two or three days.”

“Hmm!” Burton murmured before he turned and walked out of the office, leaving Steve to stare after them.

H5O H5O H5O

Walking down the ornate internal staircase and across the foyer of the palace, Hughes jumped as Burton ordered, “I want a full background check on Williams. Dig deep, I want the dirt on him and his family. He may have McGarrett hoodwinked but I won’t be satisfied until I know everything about him, even down to the brand of toothpaste he uses.”

Hughes nodded as he looked at his partner, “What about interviewing him? McGarrett said that the doctors won’t let him be interviewed for two or three days after they remove the vent tomorrow.”

 “McGarrett might be telling us the truth about Williams’s condition but then again he seems to want to protect Williams as much as possible but maybe when Williams wakes up, he might be up for an unofficial visit?”

Hughes frowned before he smiled “Maybe, but it will have to be unsanctioned, of course. Maybe the two of us just seeing how a colleague is doing?”

Burton laughed as he slapped his partner on the shoulder, “Of course. Now I want you to get back to the office and start making some calls about Williams.”

“Where are you going?”

“I have a couple of things I want to check out first and then I have to update the Boss about what has happened. I will meet you back at the office in about an hour.”

“Okay, Mike,” Hughes nodded as he watched his partner turn and hurry back into the palace before he turned and jogged down the stairs and headed towards the car.


	11. Chapter 11

The two agents stood observing the young Five-O detective in the early morning sunlight that shone through the window as the nurse adjusted the drips. McGarrett had not been exaggerating when he had informed them of the condition of his Second-In-Command, Hughes thought glumly, although Williams had improved enough, after a second attempt on his life the night before, to be taken off the ventilator, the young officer was still connected to a myriad of tubes and machines that surrounded the bed.

The younger agent had been surprised when Burton had turned up at his place to pick him up early this morning, telling him that Williams’ condition had improved enough for the doctors to decide that they would allow the young detective to wake and insisting they needed to get to the hospital to interview him before McGarrett had a chance to talk to him. And although they had only had the very slimmest pieces of circumstantial evidence linking the young Five-O detective to any possible plot against the President, he had learned that his partner’s gut instinct about a threat and a suspect was rarely if ever wrong. And one thing Hughes had learned since becoming Burton’s partner was to never, ever question his senior partner’s decisions, even if he thought that those decisions might be impulsive and wrong but to just go along with them, if he wanted his career to continue skyrocketing through the ranks.

Beginning to have grave doubts about conducting this interview before McGarrett could talk to his detective, Hughes stood near the door as he waited until the nurse finished fussing around the patient. He nodded his agreement as she turned and reminded them that they could stay for only five minutes with the patient before she left the room, closing the door firmly behind her before reluctantly following Burton to the bedside.

Leaning over Danny, Burton shook the young man roughly and called his name.

Danny groaned softly and turned his head towards the sound of the agent’s voice.

“Come on, Williams, wake up!” Burton demanded, shaking him more vigorously. “Open your eyes!” He was awarded by another soft groan as Danny’s blue eyes slowly peered out from beneath heavy lids, slowly panning around the room before he turned and focussed, with glazed eyes, onto Burton’s face above.

“B…burton?” Danny whispered breathlessly, his weak voice muffled by the oxygen mask, as he slowly managed to focus on the face that hovered just inches above his own.

“Yeah, Williams, it’s me and now you’re going to wake up and start answering some questions for me!” Burton growled as he released Danny’s shoulders with a hard shove of his hands and straightened up.

“Questions...” Danny parroted slowly a heartbeat later, blinking in confusion, before he looked slowly around and asked, “Where’s… Steve?”

“There’s no need for your boss to be here, not that he even wanted to, especially after he found out that his Second -In-Command is nothing more than a God damn traitor, who is suspected of being involved in some sort of a plot against our President during his visit to Hawaii.” Burton spat out in disgust as he reached down and roughly grabbed Danny’s chin, forcing the critically injured younger man to look at him, “And now, you slimy little worm, you are going to tell us what you are planning and who else is involved!”

“T…traitor…” Danny mumbled, his muddled bewilderment evident in his eyes as he stared up at Burton before he slowly looked towards the other man, “Plot…plot against…the presid-“

“Oh, come on, Williams, stop playing games! We know that you meet with Opella, without telling anyone, even your boss, the great Stephen McGarrett, about your secret late-night meeting with your so - called ‘snitch’. We also know that you gave Opella a copy of the President’s itinerary! So what do I want to know? I want to know about your meeting with Opella’ What are you planning? I want to know if there’s a plan to assassinate the President.”

“I…I don’t know…what…” Danny mumbled, slowly shaking his head as his eyes began to drift close, the effort of trying to stay awake was exhausting and Burton’s questions were making no sense.

“Oh, come on Williams, don’t try and tell me you don’t know what I am talking about!” Burton hissed as he shook the detective hard until Danny re-opened his eyes and looked up at him before he stopped, “I’m talking about your clandestine meeting with Opella in a bar two nights ago, a meeting that you never told your boss about. I’m talking about how Opella managed to get a copy of the President’s itinerary that only you and your boss had access to, an itinerary that was supposed be keep under lock and key. So, either he got it from you without your boss knowing about it…” Burton paused as his eyes narrowed before he leaned closer to Danny’s face and growled, “Or maybe I’m wrong and your boss is involved as well. That would explain why he never contacted us about what had happened…”

“No… no… Steve…did…didn’t know…” Danny murmured, shaking his head at Burton’s accusations.

“McGarrett didn’t know what, Williams? Didn’t know you were meeting with Opella or that you had already given Opella the itinerary?”

“No … no … you don’t under … stand. Op … Opella called me … He wanted to … meet me. He … he said he had some … important information…” Danny gasped as he struggled to keep the darkness that was slowly trying to pull him back into the warm embrace of sleep away, “Steve … Steve didn’t know … wasn’t … wasn’t time to … tell him…”

“Do you think I am some kind of idiot? Enough with all the lies!” Burton hissed through clenched teeth, “We all know that Opella needed to meet with you so you could give him the information, not the other way around!”

“Hey, cool it a little, Mike.” Hughes murmured softly, growing concerned at his partner’s belligerent attitude towards the critically injured detective as he quickly glanced over his shoulder to reassure himself that the door was still closed before he turned back towards his partner and the patient.

Ignoring his partner’s softly spoken advice, Burton continued his accusations, “Admit it, Williams, you gave Opella the copy of the president’s itinerary!’

NO!” Danny gasped, struggling to keep his eyes open, “I… I don’t know…what you are talking…about.” The soft beeps of the heart monitor began to race as the young detective began to become agitated, “Talk…talk to…Sammy!”

“Damn it, Williams, drop the God damn act! Opella’s dead!” Burton snarled viciously, “Why do you think your Boss isn’t here? I will tell you why! It’s because he knows you’re a traitor! He couldn’t stand even being in the same room as you! What’s why we are here asking you these questions, and he isn’t!”

Danny’s eyes opened wide at the agent’s hurtful words as the words slowly sank in. “No…no,” he whispered in denial, as he tried to explain the reason behind the meeting again, “Sammy … Sammy…wanted…”

“What did Opella want?” Burton demanded as Danny’s eyes drifted closed in mid-sentence.

Soft, incoherent words were the only answer the injured Five-O detective managed to mumble as exhaustion finally claimed him.

“Come on, Williams, you can sleep all you want after we are finished!” Burton growled impatiently as he grabbed the injured man up by the front of his gown and began to try to shake him, violently, back into consciousness.

 Danny cried out in agony as his body was jerked back and forth like a limp rag doll.

“Mike, that’s enough! Let go of him!” Hughes shouted as he grabbed his partner’s arm and attempted to pull him away from the injured detective. Hearing the door behind him slam open, Hughes was vaguely aware of people rushing into the room.

“What the Hell is going on here?” a furious voice yelled as the junior Secret Service agent was roughly shoved out of the way.

Suddenly Burton felt an iron grip on his shoulder, ripping him away from the defenseless detective before he felt himself slammed face first into the wall, the arm of the irate Five-O lead detective pinning him firmly against the wall.

“What the Hell do you think you are doing?” a livid McGarrett demanded again, the pressure from his arm increasing.

“BACK OFF, MCGARRETT!” Burton shouted as he attempted to shake loose from McGarrett’s hold. “I am on official business. This is none of your affair.”

“That’s where you are wrong, Mister!” McGarrett growled, ignoring the painfilled wince from Burton’s lips as he twisted the agent’s arms behind him, snapping the handcuffs tightly around his wrists. Spinning the agent around, Steve softly informed him, with a dangerous edge to his voice, “You’re under arrest!”

“What for?” Burton splattered in disbelief.

“Assault on a police officer, for starters, and I am quite sure I’ll be able to think of some more charges to add to the list.”

“You can’t be serious, McGarrett!” Burton gasped indignantly before he turned and looked at his partner, demanding, “Hughes, do something!”

Hughes studied him silently before shaking and turning his attention back to the activity surrounding the man in the bed.

 Grabbing Burton’s arm, Steve turned to Chin who had followed him into the room when the yelling they had heard within the room had first erupted, “Read him his rights and then take him downtown and book him. Assault on a police officer.” Steve ordered before he added and tell Kono I want him here. I want one a HPD officer on the door and one of us in the room guarding Danno at all times.”

“Done, Boss.” Chin acknowledged the order as he roughly grabbed the lead agent’s arm and pulled him out of the room.


End file.
